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Windows 10 is an operating system (the master program for any computer). You can use Windows 10 on a wide range of devices, from a smartphone to a big-screen TV/entertainment system: One size fits most. You can not only use the same programs with a range of hardware but also access the documents you create (such as photos and email – files and data, to nerds) from any Windows-based computer, giving you extraordinary freedom of choice and mobility.

Although countless companies create programs you may use, Microsoft attempts to make similar functions consistent across different programs. For example, opening a document or emailing a photo to a friend involves the same steps regardless of the programs you use. You don't have to learn a different way of doing common tasks in each program. This consistency will serve you well when using Windows 10 and other new programs.

In this chapter, you start your computer and work with the Start screen, the dashboard for Windows 10. You explore options for using the Start screen with your hardware (the computer and related devices). Then you exit Windows 10 and go right back in for more.

The easiest way to get Windows 10 is preinstalled on a new computer. If your current computer runs an older version of (Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1), you can upgrade to Windows 10, although older machines may lack newer functions, such as a touchscreen.

Tell Your Computer What to Do

How do you get Windows 10 to do what you want it to do? You can command a computer in many ways, depending on your equipment (hardware). For example, a desktop computer has different options from a handheld phone. You may have any or all of these choices:

❯❯ Mouse

❯❯ Touchscreen

❯❯ Keyboard

Another device for controlling Windows is a touchpad, which is commonly found on a laptop keyboard. You move your finger on the touchpad to move the pointer on the screen.

If you have a computer with more than one of these devices, you might use one device exclusively or, more likely, vary your choice according to the task. Use whichever technique is easiest for you, but don't be afraid to experiment. In the next few sections, you discover the ins and outs of using all these methods of controlling Windows 10. Then you’re ready to turn on your computer and use these methods.

In the steps throughout this book, choose or select refers to using a mouse, the touchscreen, or a physical keyboard. Drag refers to using a mouse or a finger.

Move the Mouse

For many years, computers have had a mouse, which is a soapbar-sized device that you move across a desk with your hand. Move the mouse and note how the arrow called a mouse pointer moves across the computer screen. A mouse has two or more buttons; some also have a scroll wheel between the buttons.

The following terms describe methods for using a mouse with Windows 10. In each, move the mouse first to position the pointer over a specified item before proceeding:

❯❯ Click: Move the onscreen arrow-shaped mouse pointer over a specified item and press and release the left mouse button: that's a click (sometimes called a left-click to distinguish it from a right-click).

❯❯ Right-click: Press and release the right mouse button to display available functions. Note that the word click by itself means use the left mouse button.

❯❯ Drag: Press and hold down the left mouse button, and then move the mouse pointer across the screen. When you want to move an object, you drag it. Release the mouse button to release the object.

Watch for the word click to indicate using a mouse button and roll to indicate using the mouse wheel.

Touch the Screen

A touchscreen, as the name says, enables you to touch the screen to tell your computer what to do. You typically use one finger or two, although touchscreens may allow you to use all ten digits. In some cases, you can also use a special pen called a stylus instead of your finger. Tablet computers and some smartphones have touchscreens. Touchscreens are less common on desktop or laptop computers, but that situation is changing. Not sure what type of screen you have? When you have Windows 10 running, give the screen a gentle poke with your index finger to see what happens.

The following terms refer to ways you interact with a touchscreen:

❯❯ Tap: Briefly touch the screen. You select an object, such as a button, by tapping it.

❯❯ Drag: Touch and hold your finger on the screen, then move your finger across the screen. You move an object, such as an onscreen playing card, by dragging it.

❯❯ Swipe: Touch and move your finger more quickly than with drag. You can swipe your finger across the screen from any of the four sides of the screen to display options and commands. You swipe pages to move forward or back. You may see the word flick instead of swipe. Some people insist that a flick is faster or shorter than a swipe, but let’s not get caught up in that.

❯❯ Pinch and unpinch: Touch a finger and thumb or two fingers on the screen. Move your fingers closer to each other to pinch and away from each other to unpinch. Generally, a pinch reduces the size of something on the screen or shows more content on the screen. An unpinch (an ugly word) zooms in, increasing the size of something onscreen to show more detail.

Watch for the words tap, swipe, or pinch to indicate using your finger. Touch actions are often called gestures.

See the upcoming section “View the Virtual Keyboard” if your computer doesn’t have a physical keyboard, as is often the case with a touchscreen.

Use a Keyboard

A typewriter-like keyboard is a traditional device for controlling a computer and is especially useful when you must enter a lot of text. Special key combinations, called shortcut keys, are often the quickest way to do anything (though they require some memorization).

The following keys are particularly noteworthy. No offense intended to fans of keys not noted here. Although you won’t use all these keys immediately, you’ll find it helpful to locate each one on your keyboard.

Press indicates that you use the keyboard (physical or virtual) for the specified key or sequence of keys (just as click indicates a mouse action and tap indicates touch). Combinations of keys are not pressed simultaneously. Instead, press and hold the first key in the specified sequence, press the second key, and then release both. (I explain exceptions to this method as necessary.)

❯❯ : Called the Windows key, this key is usually located on either side of the spacebar, which is the largest key. works by itself, as you’ll soon see, and also in combination with many other keys. Throughout the book, I specify these combinations where you might use them. There will be a quiz later. (Kidding! No quizzes.)

❯❯ Tab: Press the Tab key to highlight an item. Press Tab repeatedly to skip items you don’t intend to select.

The keyboard can be used to select objects but is less direct than using touch or a mouse.

❯❯ Arrow keys: Press the arrow keys to move the cursor or selection of an object in the direction the keys point (left, right, up, or down). In some contexts, Tab and the right arrow do the same thing. Sorry to be vague, but context matters at times.

❯❯ Enter: In most cases, the Enter key on the keyboard chooses a selection, much as clicking or tapping do. However, you may need to use the Tab key or an arrow key to select an item before pressing the Enter key.

❯❯ Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys: These keys are used with other keys for commands. For example, press Ctrl+C to copy selected text or an object. (That is, while pressing and holding down the Ctrl key, press the C key – no need to press Shift for an uppercase C. Then release both keys.) The Shift key is used with another key for uppercase.

❯❯ Backspace: As you enter text, each press of Backspace erases the character to the left of the cursor.

❯❯ Delete: As you enter text, each press of the Delete key erases the character to the right of the cursor. On some keyboards, this key is labeled Del.

❯❯ Function keys: All keys function, but Function keys are labeled F1 through F12. You don’t use these much in this book, but you should locate them. Laptops often have a separate Function Lock key to turn these keys on or off.

❯❯ Page keys: Locate the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys for future reference. Use these to move the screen, a page, or the cursor. (On some keyboards, the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys work as numbers when the Num Lock key is activated.)

View the Virtual Keyboard

Windows 10 can display a virtual keyboard onscreen. This feature is vital for devices that have a touchscreen and no physical keyboard. With a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard appears automatically when the cursor (a blinking vertical bar) indicates that you can enter text in a box. If the virtual keyboard doesn't appear automatically, you may also see a separate box floating above or below the text box. Tap that floating box to display the keyboard. To type using the keyboard, simply tap or click a letter, number, or symbol key.

Here are the different types of virtual keyboards:

❯❯ The standard layout (also called QWERTY) appears automatically (see Figure 1-1). The Enter key changes depending on the context.

❯❯ The uppercase layout, shown in Figure 1-2, appears when you tap the Shift key on the standard layout.

❯❯ The numbers and symbols layout, shown in Figure 1-3, appears when you tap the &123 key on the standard layout. Tap the &123 key again to return to the standard layout.

❯❯ The control keys overlay (see Figure 1-4) appears on five keys on the standard layout when you tap the Ctrl key. The Ctrl keys are used in common tasks, such as copying (Ctrl+C) or moving (Ctrl+X) selected text. The overlay disappears automatically after you tap one of the control keys (A, Z, X, C, or V).

❯❯ The smiley layout, shown in Figure 1-5, appears when you tap the Smiley Face key. Tap the smiley face key again to return to the standard layout. (Smileys are also called emoticons or emoji.)

FIGURE 1-1

FIGURE 1-2

FIGURE 1-3

FIGURE 1-4

FIGURE 1-5

But wait! There's more. Tap the keyboard key, which is in the lower-right corner of any layout, to display the four options shown in Figure 1-6.

FIGURE 1-6

❯❯ Tap the Standard button (shown in Figure 1-6) to return to the standard layout from the split or handwriting layout. (More on those two layouts next.)

❯❯ Tap the Split button to view the split keyboard layout, shown in Figure 1-7. This layout is handy for typing with your thumbs while holding two sides of a tablet.

❯❯ Tap the Handwriting button to view the handwriting layout, shown in Figure 1-8. This layout enables you to write with a finger or a stylus (a special pen). Printing usually works better than script.

FIGURE 1-7

FIGURE 1-8

If your touchscreen doesn’t come with a stylus, you can buy one and use it instead of your finger for improved precision.

Turn On Your Computer

1. Push the power button briefly and release it. Every computer has a power button. (When we can no longer turn them off, the machines win.) If you have a desktop computer tower, the power button is probably on the front of the tower. Otherwise, you might have to feel around the front and sides of the screen or near the hinges of a laptop. Typically, your computer will beep, some buttons will light, and the screen may flash a logo or a message that disappears before you can read it. (Just let that go.) Soon, you will see the first Windows 10 screen.

2. Turn on any separate hardware (such as a monitor, speakers, or a printer).

The remaining steps in this section occur only when your computer is set up for the first time.

3. The first time you turn on your computer, a series of Windows Setup screens appears. Accept the defaults or change them appropriately and then select the button labeled Next.

4. Select Install Now. (Note the option to Repair Your Computer, used if something goes wrong in the future.) The screen displays Setup is starting.

5. If you see a message asking you for a product key (a mix of 25 letters and numbers found on the back or bottom of your computer or on related paperwork), type those characters (hyphens are inserted automatically) and then select Next.

If your computer doesn't have a keyboard, as is the case with many tablet computers, see the preceding section, “View the Virtual Keyboard,” for information on how to type onscreen.

6. On the License Terms screen, select the check box next to I Accept the License Terms. Feel free to be the first person ever to read the terms before agreeing to them. (If you refuse to accept the terms, you can't use Windows 10.) Then select the Next button. You may see an indication of the Windows 10 installation progress. Your computer may restart during this process, as well.

7. On the Personalize screen, select a background color for the most common screens. When you make a selection, the screen background changes to reflect your choice. Preview as many choices as you like.

8. In the box under PC Name, type a short, simple name for your computer, but don't use spaces. The name can be based on location (such as office) or computer brand (such as Dell) or something more creative (Firefly, perhaps). This name is visible on a network, if you have one. Select Next.

You can return to a previous screen (perhaps to confirm or change a selection) by selecting the Back button (an arrow in a circle, near the top-left corner of the screen). The Next button will move you forward again.

9. If a wireless Internet connection is available, you are prompted to select a connection and then enter the network password. For now, select Connect to a Wireless Network Later. See Chapter 4 for information on connecting to a network.

10. On the Settings screen, select the Use Express Settings button for the easiest setup. If you choose the Customize button instead, you'll have to work through several screens of options.

If this is the first time that Windows 10 has started on your computer, you must create a user account, even if no one else will use the machine. See Chapter 4 for details on creating and changing user accounts.

11. If you have an Internet connection, you see the Sign In to Your PC screen. (If you don't have an Internet connection, skip this step.) If you see the Sign in Without a Microsoft Account option, select it. You see a screen summarizing the differences between a Microsoft account and a local account. Select the Local Account button. (You use a Microsoft account in Chapter 4.)

12. In the User Name box, type a short and simple name. Your user name appears throughout the system, from the login screen to the Start screen to the location containing all your documents. Use a simple, clear name. Your first name is just fine.

13. In the Password box, type a password. A password is an optional security measure. If you enter a password when you create your user account, that password is required each time you start the computer. If someone other than you tries to start your computer, he or she will have to know (or guess) the password to get into your files. (Don’t put your password on a note stuck to the computer or nearby.)

For home computers, passwords may be unnecessary unless you need to keep someone else in the house out of your business. Laptop users should always create a password, however, because it is easy to lose a laptop – don’t make it easy for a thief to use your computer.

14. In the Reenter Password box, type the same password again.

15. In the Password Hint box, type a hint to remind yourself – and no one else – what your password is. Do not type the password itself here, or a hint such as my first name.

I use my phone number as the hint. That way, if my computer is lost, someone might see my phone number and contact me. (I'm an optimist.)

16. Select the Finish button. The screen may briefly display Finalizing your settings. An animation demonstrates that you can move your mouse to any corner or, if you have a touchscreen, swipe from any edge. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The color of the screen and the text onscreen change a few times to keep you mesmerized as setup finishes. Your PC will be ready in just a moment. Prepare to be awed. Behold, the Windows 10 desktop screen, shown in Figure 1-9. (Your screen may look different from the one in this figure and those throughout the book.)

FIGURE 1-9

Check Out the Start Screen

1. Start your computer – if it isn't started already – and sign in to your user account. You'll see the Windows desktop screen.

2. Open the Start screen, as shown in Figure 1-10. Use one of these methods to open the Start screen:

• Mouse: Click the Start button (you’ll find it in the lower-left corner of the screen).

• Touchscreen: Tap the Start button.

• Keyboard: Press the key.

3. Examine the Start screen and note the colorful rectangular icons called tiles. These tiles represent available apps (short for application programs, an older term for programs or software). By clicking or tapping an app tile, you can open an app. After you start to use the app tiles, they may display changing information, such as the current weather. (See Chapter 2 for information on using individual apps.)

4. Scroll down the names of apps on the left side of the Start screen. You see an alphabetical list of all the apps that are installed on your computer. By clicking or tapping an app in this list, you can open an app. Scroll on the Start screen when you want to open an application but can’t find its tile.

Under “Most Used,” the Start screen lists apps you recently opened. You can click or tap an app name on the Most Used list to open an app.

While the Start screen is open, you can type the name of an app to open it. For example, to open the Weather app, type weather. A panel opens with the names of apps that include the word weather (you also see apps from the Microsoft store and web pages with the word weather). Select the Weather app listing in the panel to open the Weather app.

5. Scroll through the alphabetical apps list to Windows Administrative Tools, and then click or tap the down-arrow to the right of the name Windows Administrative Tools. As shown in Figure 1-11, a list of apps appears under the Windows Administrative Tools heading.